Here are the 10 movies I think look the best out of the summer lineup:
“Elstree 1976” (May 6) – This Kickstarter-funded documentary features interviews with “A New Hope” (and “The Empire Strikes Back,” as Jeremy Bulloch is featured) supporting actors, convention clips, re-enactments and archival footage. It looks like a treasure trove for Lucas-era “Star Wars” buffs.
“The Darkness” (May 13) – Excellent young actor David Mazouz (Bruce Wayne on “Gotham”) is the main reason to check out this horror flick – not to be confused with the 2002 Anna Paquin vehicle “Darkness” — about a family who brings back a curse from their vacation to the Grand Canyon.
“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” (May 20) – A sorority replaces the 2014 film’s fraternity, but Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen are still put-upon neighbors in this sequel, in which many of the pleasures will come from mostly dramatic young actresses (Selena Gomez, Chloe Grace Moretz) playing out the shenanigans.
“X-Men: Apocalypse” (May 27) – This movie will reveal how much life was breathed into the franchise by the timeline reboot in 2014’s “Days of Future Past.” At least superficially, it looks vibrant and colorful, as Mystique trains a next generation that includes Psylocke (in a featured role for the first time) and new incarnations of Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm and Nightcrawler.
“The Bye Bye Man” (June 3) – This looks to be the best of the summer’s horror offerings, as it has a clever concept: The titular villain (horror-villain specialist Doug Jones) grows more powerful the more his targets talk about him.
“The Conjuring 2” (June 10) – The 2013 original played the horror clichés like a maestro, and the sequel should too; any originality will be a bonus.
“Independence Day: Resurgence” (June 24) – With Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum reprising their roles, this sequel-we-didn’t-know-we-wanted to the 1996 blockbuster is at least worth a look.
“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” (July 8) – Like “Wedding Crashers” times two, a pair of immature lads (including “Neighbors” grad Zac Efron) accidentally invite their female equivalents (Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza) as dates to a prim and proper wedding.
“Bad Moms” (July 29) – No preview is available yet, but it’s from the team behind the “Hangover” series and “The Change-Up,” and it stars Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell, so it should certainly deliver its share of laughs.
“Suicide Squad” (Aug. 5) – This is the third entry in the DC film saga that started with 2014’s “Man of Steel” and this spring’s “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Classic cartoon characters like Harley Quinn (who seems to be spot-on as portrayed by Margot Robbie) and Killer Croc finally hit the big screen, and the latest interpretation of the Joker (Jared Leto) also provides intrigue.
What movies are you looking forward to this summer? Share your thoughts below.